


The One With The Coffee

by AnythingElse



Series: Adventures of Bucky the College Student [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Age Difference, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-05-11
Packaged: 2019-05-05 04:58:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14609871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnythingElse/pseuds/AnythingElse
Summary: Our two favorite guys learn more about each other. Coffee is involved.(I suck at summaries....)





	The One With The Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> **I’m so sorry! I had to go back and change Bucky’s major. I thought I’d be OK trying to write about something I don’t know anything about, but it turns out it makes it really difficult to pull into the storyline. It’s less realistic this way, but…..easier for me to write. Sorry!
> 
> Also, still fixing some inconsistencies that I'm still finding. Oops!
> 
> IF you want more, please tell me! I have way too much fun with these two & I hope you guys are enjoying the direction this is taking?

Technically, Steve started it. If anyone ever asked (not that they ever would), he had proof. It had started that first day when Steve was trying to get him to like mornings. Noting coffee in 2 of the photos, Bucky started snapping photos of  _ his  _ coffees. Every day. And now the two of them had days where the whole conversation was simply photos of coffee. Despite its simplicity, Bucky found himself looking forward to their exchanges each day. It became a tradition of sorts that was utterly ‘them’ and that made him feel special. They had lots of fun conversations, some serious conversations, and shared a multitude of photos-- but their shared coffee photos connected them somehow more personally. 

 

_ What is that fricken’ noise? _

 

Bucky blinked through morning bleary eyes and tried to focus on the painfully bright screen of his phone. Not entirely sure what he was doing, he hit snooze and fell immediately back to sleep. What felt like seconds later, his alarm went off again with a text reminder.

**GO TO LIBRARY**

Right. He was going to wake up early to hit the library before school today. He has a big project due next Tuesday and the library is closed on the weekend.  _ College libraries that close on the weekend. Who came up with that silly idea? Obviously not a student. _ Sighing, he snoozed the alarm and closed his eyes again. Maybe he’ll just do the research on Friday after his last class. A sleepy smile on his face, Bucky snuggles back into his blankets to fall back asleep.

 

_ What is that fricken’ noise  _ **_this time?!_ **

 

Bucky is over this morning already and it is only 9:12 A.M. Filtering through the sleepy haze is a knocking on his door. Stifling a yawn, he shuffles out to the living room. He assumes Peter forgot his keys (again) so he doesn’t even look through the peephole before opening the door. What actually makes him look up at the person waiting outside is the tantalizing aroma of coffee. Peter drinks tea because he is weird, thus this person cannot possibly be Peter. Bucky squints up and sees none other than the most handsome man he’s ever laid eyes on. He’s wearing a ridiculously nice suit for this early in the morning. It’s complemented by the sheepish grin that tells he realizes he just woke up Bucky. 

 

Snapping back to reality, Bucky realizes that he is a mess. His hair is bed ruffled and his mouth tastes like warmed-over death. And…

_ Oh shit.  _

Bucky is shirtless and wearing not his cutest pair of boxers. 

_ Oh. Oops. _

Bucky also suddenly realizes that Sexy Steve is still waiting outside the apartment door and his sheepish grin has been replaced by an apologetic grimace. He has yet to be even greeted, much less invited in.

 

Taking a deep breath, Bucky holds up one finger to signal ‘wait right there’ and then promptly closes the door on Steve. He runs to the bathroom, fills his mouth with mouthwash and throws on a pair of comfy PJs (that may or may not be the ones he got from Steve on their first date). After spitting out the mouthwash he runs a comb through his hair and throws on a tee. Heading back to the door, he swings it wide open with his best bright-eyed smile and welcomes Steve with a “Hey!” as he motions for him to enter. Much to his appreciation, Steve bites back his laugh and only gives Bucky a very-endearing look. He has come bearing gifts-- coffee and bagels! 

 

They are talking (well, Bucky is stuffing his face while Steve does the talking) when Bucky realizes that Steve just mentioned calling him this morning. It suddenly dawns on him that the first ‘alarm’ that he snoozed was a phone call from Steve telling him he was on his way. That’s why the second alarm went off so quickly after the first. Ever so transparent and lacking a filter, Bucky quickly admits all of this to Steve. Rather than be annoyed, Steve simply laughs and gives bucky a one armed hug and places a warm kiss on the top of his head. Bucky melts a bit (or maybe a lot) and then they sit crosslegged on the ground to use the coffee table as a makeshift breakfast table. They bump elbows, laugh, and eat breakfast while enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

 

After they finish eating, Steve mentions that he has to go to a presentation-- but just couldn’t help stopping by early because he was in the area. They part ways, and Bucky acts like a responsible adult and heads to the library to gather supplies for his big project. While he sits in a secluded study booth, he reflects on his amazing morning. He has come to the realization that Steve is, possibly, the perfect human being. 

 

Bucky has always been a little awkward and goofy, and that got him bullied when he was younger. After puberty hit, everyone started asking him out and paying him attention, which he hated. Since he missed out on the crucial aspects of socializing when he was younger, he moved out to the city as a naive and rather socially-awkward teenager. While he feels he has grown a lot in the past year and a half, he’s still lacking both confidence and elegance. Because of this, most of the people he meets tend to make him feel even more insecure (whether intentionally or not depends on the person). The thing that sets Steve apart from all the rest is the way he treats Bucky. He doesn’t point out his flaws, but he also doesn’t ignore them. He gently pokes fun when he can tell that Bucky is panicking inside his head. But he also encourages and cherishes Bucky in all the right ways that help him feel good about himself and have the confidence to grow and evolve.

 

It’s a lot of deep thinking for 11 AM, and Bucky is starting to get lost inside his thoughts again. He stands, stretches, and loads up his bags. He has  another 20 minutes before class, so he heads to the on-campus cafe and orders a sandwich and a coffee. Grinning, he snaps a selfie with his coffee and sends it off to Steve before he heads towards his classroom. On his way, he passes by an auditorium that is packed to capacity. He doesn’t see who is presenting, but the students & teachers alike all seem enraptured by the presentation. He continues past the room and heads into his classroom a few doors down. He’s the first to arrive, so he sneaks out his sandwich and scarfs it down. 

 

It’s not until a few hours later that he receives a photo-reply from Steve. The photo was obviously taken earlier in the day due to the bright sunny lighting. It was taken by someone else-- Steve is leaning back against a beam, sipping an iced coffee through a straw and beaming down at his phone. The memo reads ‘your messages always brighten my day’ and it is the most sappy and wonderful thing Bucky has ever seen. He is so enamoured with the photo that it takes him a moment to realize that he recognizes the room Steve is in. It’s a room he passed by earlier today--- the presentation room at his school.

 

_ Wait. What? _

 

Bucky studies the photos for clues, hints, or details of what the presentation was about. But, per usual with both of their photos, the focus is all on the subject & not the surroundings. That is when Bucky realizes he has made (yet another) mistake.

 

_ Maybe I shouldn’t have told Steve to ‘skip the work bio’. What if he teaches at my school?! All of our professors are ‘industry professionals’. What if he does work for S.H.I.E.L.D. but is actually a professor at my school?! _

 

Officially distracted from his classes for the rest of the day, Bucky tries to word a perfectly-casual text that asks Steve if he is a professor. The texts become more wordy by the minute and ever so vague. Finally, he stops trying to ‘act’ a certain way and simply sends the question he’s been asking himself.

 

**BUCKY:**

**First of all, I love the photo. This is officially my new 2nd favorite photo you’ve sent. Second, and it may be a bit late to ask this, but…… what exactly do you do? Please, PLEASE tell me you are not a professor here?**

 

In (what Bucky was realizing is) typical Steve fashion, he quickly diffused the raising panic.

 

**Steve:**

**Not a professor!**

 

**Steve:**

**I was asked by a friend to do a presentation on breaking into the design industry.**

 

**Steve:**

**I'm actually pretty sure it was just a segue to politely ask me to have Tony guest speak at graduation this year.**

 

The messages came in rapid succession and relief washed over Bucky. He felt the tension lift from his muscles as received a few more messages and photos. Somehow, talking to Steve always had the power to ease Bucky's worries. After a few more minutes of texting, Steve invited Bucky over for the evening for 'dinner and getting to know eachother better’. The idea of getting to ask Steve all his questions and really learn about each other was both daunting and tempting. Bucky, being Bucky, accepted the offer immediately. 

 

Despite Bucky’s assurances that he could just take a bus, Steve arrived to pick him up at 6:45 that evening. They had agreed to meet at 7:00, but Steve greeted Bucky with “I’m so sorry I’m late! I got caught up with a client and didn’t realize how late it had gotten.” He gave his puppy dog eyes and whatever snarky comment was about to be made turned quickly into heart emoji eyes. The drive was peaceful-- Bucky was trying to sort through questions and curiosities in his head and Steve seemed like he was still switching gears from ‘work’ to ‘relaxation’. The radio played softly in the background and Steve’s sexy voice humming along to Rag n’ Bone Man’s ‘Human’ sent shivers down his spine. 

 

By the time they arrived, Bucky had many ideas of things he wanted to hear Steve’s voice saying. And they were all  _ very  _ NSFW. He was in the middle of listing complimentary colors when he felt something warm and very real touch his shoulder. Shaken out of his distractions, he sees Steve’s very expectant expression. Before he can say anything, Steve moves his hand to cup Bucky’s jaw.  _ Not. Helping.  _ “What’s got you all flustered?”

 

Awkwardly looking over Steve’s shoulder, Bucky mumbles a response. “Your, uh, voice? Is really sexy?” This would be so much easier if only this blond god weren’t so damn sexy. Bucky shuffles his feet and tentatively makes eye contact with Steve. The serious look in his eyes is sobering and Bucky feels his bloodflow finally head north again. 

 

“Oh, Buck. We have all the time in the world. Today is important, though. We’re still practically strangers to each other.” Not the response he was expecting, Bucky feels himself wince at the statement. He feels the childish need to retort and almost succeeds in holding back. Almost.

 

“I know! I was handling it and then  _ you  _ had to go and interrupt me halfway through the color wheel. If you’d given me like 45 more seconds, I would have been fine.” He’s pouting despite the intensity he put behind his statement. He  _ wants _ Steve to take him seriously and treat him like an adult, but he is still learning, goddamnit! 

 

And that is when it happens, again.

 

Steve lets out a surprised, loud laugh and the tension visibly eases out of his body. “The color wheel, eh?” All seriousness gone from his face, he is grinning. “I think most people do equations?”

 

“Yeah, well, I’ve never been good at math.” He bumps his shoulder into Steve as they walk side-by-side towards the townhouse. 

 

Steve gently places his arm around Bucky’s waist and pulls him closer for a second. The next words are so quiet, they almost go unheard. “I’m sorry I made you feel uncomfortable. I didn’t stop to think about things from your side.” He gently squeezed before letting go and pulling out his keys. 

  
Bucky pretends not to notice that Steve’s hands are shaking a bit. Maybe Steve is human after all. Steve smiles softly as he holds the door open for Bucky. As the brunet crosses the threshold, he pauses. When Steve moves to look down at him, Bucky pops up on tippy toes and places a kiss on Steve’s cheek. With a grin, he continues past the entrance and into the living room. Looking over his shoulder, he asks “Coming?” as innocently as possible. Steve’s smile is so wide his face looks like it might split in two. The sparkle is back in his eyes as he turns to lock up and take off his shoes & jacket. 


End file.
